Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-03-04
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
oscar Da.rymplc was sitting over
his af:cr-iinner wine, and the street
l:lnrs were lighted. when a figure.
looking as little like Mrs. Dalrymple rs
possible. stole out Of the house; stole
strathily, and closed the door >tralthily
behind her, so that neither master nor
servant should hear her. She had
ransacked her wardrobe for a plain
gown and dark shawl, and her straw
bonnet might have served as a model
for Quakers. She had been out in
the afternoon. and marked the shop
she meant to go to. A renowned shop
in its line. and very respectable, even
Selma new that She hurried along
the streets not unlike criminal; had
she been going to rob the warerooms
of their jewels, instead of offering some
to add to their hidden stock, she could
not have felt more guilty. When she
ached it she hesitated and could not
make up her mind to enter; she took a
turn or two before its front, she
glanced in at its door, and its window,
crowded with goods. She had never
been in q pawnbroker's shop in her
life, and her ideas of It's customers
were vague; comprising gentlewomen
in distress, gliding in as she did, tipsy
men carrying their watches in their
hand, poor objects ont of work, in
dclapidated shirt-sleeyes, and half
starved women with pillows and flat
irons. 1t looked quiet, inside; so far
as she could see, there did not appear
TO M cAr,l
Of resolution she went in.
She stood at the counter, the chief
part of the shop being hidden from her.
A dark. vulgar-looking man came for
ward.
"What can we do for you, ma amp"
"Are you the master7' inquired Sc
lima.
mo"
Il wish to see him."
Another presently appeared, and
Mrs. Dalrymple was surprised. She
had expected to see common trades
man, of manners like the first, and he
who now accosted her had the appear
ance and address of a gentleman; and
of a sensible one, too.
81 am in temporary need of little
money, and wish to borrow some upon
my Jewels" began Mrs. Dalrymple, IN
hoarse whisper; and she was really
SO agitated as scarcely to know what
she said.
"Are they of valuep" he inquired.
"Some hundreds of pounds. have
them with me-"
He requested her to walk into a
private room, and placed chair. She
sat down and laid the jewels on the Ia
BILE. He examined them in silence, one
after another, not speaking till he had
gone through the whole.
What did you wish to borrow on
themp'
':As much as I can," replied Mrs.
Dalrymple. II thought about four hun
dred pounds"
"Four hundred pounds!" echoed the
pawnbroker. "Ma'am, they are not
worth, for this purpose, more than q
quarter of the money"
She stared at him in establishment.
''They are real"
''Oh. yes. Otherwise they would not
be worth so many pence"
"Many of them are new within
twelve months" urged Mrs. Dalrym-
pie. altogether they cost more than
i've hundred pounds.
ITO buy. But they are not worth
much to pledge. The fashion of these
ornaments is changing with every sea-
son. and that for one thing diminishes
their value"
what could you lend me on themp"
'One hundred pounds"
''Absurdr returned Mrs. Dalrmple,
her cheeks flushing. "Why, that one
set of amethysts alone cost more. I
could not let them 60 at that 1t would
be of no use to me-"
''Ma'am, it is entirely at your OPP
ton, and I assure you'll do not press il, :"
he answered, with courteous respect
1--WE care little about taking these
in, for SO many are brought to us now
that our sales are glutted with them.
''You will not be called upon to sell
these. shall redeem them"
The jeweler did not answer. He
could have answered, that never an ar
ticle, from a service of gold plate to a
pair of boys boots, was pledged to him
yet but it was quite sure to be redeemed
in intention.
''Are you aware that great many
ladies, even of high degree, now wear
false jeYclry," he resumed.
''No, indeed" returned Mrs. Dali
rymple. Neither should believe it. :"
Nevertheless 1t is 50. And the
chief reason IS the one I have just
mentioned; that in the present day the
rage for ornaments is so great, and the
fashion of them so continually chang
ing, that to be IN the fashion, . lady
must spend a fortune in ornaments
alone. give you my word, ma'am,
that in the fashionable world q great
deal of the jewelry now worn is false;
though it may pass there unsupported.
And this fact deteriorates from the
value of real. especially for the pur-
pose of pledging."
He began, as he spoke, to put the
articles into their boxes again. as if the
negotiation were at an end.
Can You lend me two hundred up
on them?" asked Mrs. Dalrymple,
after blank pause.
He shook his head. II can advance
you what have stated, if you please.
Not pound more. And l am quite
sure you will be able to obtain no more
on them anywhere, ma'am, take them
where you will"
''But what am I to dop" returned
Mrs. Dalrymple, betraying some ex-
element. Very uselessly; but that
room was no stranger to it.
The jeweler was firm, and Mrs Dali
rymple gathered up her ornaments,
her first feelings OF despair merging
into anger. She was leaving the
room with her parcel, when it oc-
CURED to her to ask herself what she
was TO do-how she was to procure the
remainder of the sum necessary fol-
Nine. Damereau. She turned back,
and finally left the shop without hel
jewels, but with a hundred pounds in
her pocket, and her understanding
considerably enlightened as to the rel.
alive value of jewel to buy and Q
jewel to pledge.
Now it happened that if Mrs. Dial.
rymple had repented of showing hel
temper to Nine. Damereau, that re.
nowned artistic had equally repented OIL
showing hers to Mrs. Dalrvmple. She